My students have a wide range of disabilities, including hearing impairment, visual impairment, limited motor skills, and profound mental disabilities. However, all of my students love music and benefit from it on a daily basis. Music does not discriminate.
I have five students.
Although each of them has a number of disabilities, they do not focus on this but are positive, energetic, and loving children. They attend a large public school but are in the only self-contained classroom in the school. This allows other students to get to know them on a first name basis and create social situations for my students. They are hard workers and understand what is expected of them on a daily basis. However, they also know how to have fun! They enjoy being outside, playing music, singing, and going for walks in the community. Each of them has a very distinct personality and they communicate through body language and facial expressions as they are all non-verbal. Their ability to navigate their environment and communicate needs and wants without the senses we all take for granted shows incredible strength.
My Project
These resources will help create a more stimulating environment for my students through many ways.
The three CDs can be played throughout the day at appropriate times to enhance an activity and promote attention to a task. The CDs will provide a peaceful atmosphere that stimulates that kids at the same time.
The CD player will allow students to understand cause/effect by learning how to operate the player in order to produce a desired outcome (i.e. the music). This player will also increase their fine motor skills through pushing the buttons and manipulating the microphone. It will allow them to understand the primary purpose of specific toys.
In addition, the ABC Melody Maker will also allow the students to see themselves as the cause of an action. Since the action will be in the form of music, it will engage them and hopefully motivate them to continue working on tasks until they have completed them. It will also require that they use their motor skills to complete tasks.
My students are very important and resources can be difficult to obtain due to our limited budget for classroom supplies.
My students and myself are extremely grateful to those who help supply us with items that will allow us to become more successful as learners.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Lindemann and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
